The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for tracking product usage and more specifically relates to systems and methods for tracking product inventory from a shelf within a refrigerated cooler.
Various methods have been employed in the past to track product usage, purchase, or consumption from dispensing apparatus such as vending machines and the like. Various types of sensors or counters may be used to keep track of the number of products dispensed from such a machine. For example, each xe2x80x9cdropxe2x80x9d of a bottle, a can, or other item from a vending machine may be tracked. These xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d vending machines can keep an accurate tally of the amount of product dispensed because the machine is a controlled environment, i.e., the product is not dispensed until the selection button is pushed and the sale is completed.
This type of xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d technology, however, has not been applicable to track the sale of products merely placed on a store or a cooler shelf. The existing vending machine technology is not directly applicable because a consumer is free to pick up a product, inspect it, take it, or return it to the shelf and make a different selection, i.e., the shelf is not a controlled environment. For example, a consumer may pick up a bottle or can containing a carbonated soft drink off of a shelf and then return that bottle or can and make a different selection. The return of the bottle or can may inflate the number of items actually removed from the shelf if only the removals are counted or monitored.
What is needed therefore is a system and method for tracking the use, purchase, or consumption of items placed on a shelf. The system and method must be able to keep track of removals and additions to the shelf. Further, these systems and methods must be implemented in consumer friendly and/or otherwise non-obtrusive manner.
The present invention provides an apparatus for tracking the movement of a plurality of products. The apparatus includes a shelf with a plurality of products positioned thereon. The shelf has a first end with an optical sensor positioned thereabout. A controller is functionally connected to the optical sensor so as to track the removal of one of the products from the first end of the shelf and to track the insertion of one of the products into the first end of the shelf.
Specific embodiments of the present invention include the use of a gravity-assisted product slide with a plurality of products positioned therein and the use of optical sensors having one or more emitters and one or more receivers. The emitters are positioned on a first side of the shelf and the receivers are positioned on a second side of the shelf. The emitters may be positioned along a diagonal line with respect to each other. The receivers are positioned on the second side of the shelf in alignment with each of the receivers.
A lower one of the emitters and a lower one of the receivers form a lower optical pair while an upper one of the emitters and an upper one of the receivers form an upper optical pair. The upper optical pair and the lower optical pair are blocked when one of the products is adjacent to the first end of the shelf. The upper optical pair is blocked and the lower optical pair is open when one of the products is being removed from the shelf. The upper optical pair is open and the lower optical pair is open after the product has been removed from the shelf. The upper optical pair is open and the lower optical pair is open when one of the products is being inserted into the shelf. The upper optical pair is then blocked and the lower optical pair is open as the product continues to be inserted into the shelf.
A further embodiment of the present invention provides for an apparatus for tracking the movement of a plurality of products. The apparatus includes a gravity-assisted product slide with a plurality of products positioned therein. The slide includes a first end, a lower part of the first end, and an upper part of the first end. A lower optical sensor is positioned about the lower part of the first end of the slide while an upper optical sensor is positioned about the upper part of the first end of the slide. A controller is functionally connected to the lower optical sensor and to the upper optical sensor so as to track the removal of one of the products from the first end of the slide and to track the insertion of one of the products to the first end of the slide.
The upper optical pair and the lower optical pair are blocked when one of the products is adjacent to the first end of the slide. The upper optical pair is blocked and the lower optical pair is open when one of the products is being removed from the slide. The upper optical pair is open and the lower optical pair is open after the product has been removed from the slide. The upper optical pair is open and the lower optical pair is open when one of the products is being inserted into the slide. The upper optical pair is then blocked and the lower optical pair is open as the product continues to be inserted into the slide.
The method of the present invention provides for tracking the number of products on a product slide. The method includes the steps of positioning a first optical sensor along a first part of the product slide, positioning a second optical sensor along a second part of the product slide, and monitoring when the first optical sensor and the second optical sensor change state. The method may further include the steps of determining when the products are removed from the product slide and when the products are inserted into the product slide based upon the change of state. The monitoring step may include determining whether the first optical sensor and the second optical sensor are blocked or open.
The determining step includes a removal of one of the products from the product slide when the monitoring step finds that the first optical sensor is blocked and the second optical sensor is open in a first state and that the first optical sensor is open and the second optical sensor is open in a second state. The determining step includes an insertion of one of the products into the product slide when the monitoring step finds that the first optical sensor is open and the second optical sensor is open in a first state and that the first optical sensor is blocked and the second optical sensor is open in a second state.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.